State Media

A senior Zanu-PF official from Chirumanzu District in the Midlands province drowned after he tried to cross a flooded river to cast his vote during the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections.

Muchato Masvinu – the District Chairperson for Chirumanzu – was allegedly swept away while his wife watched in horror as he tried to cross Shashe River to reach a polling station on Sunday.

Because of the heavy rains that have been pounding the country, the ruling party abandoned elections at some polling stations in Gokwe North and Shurugwi North as they had become inaccessible.

The decision to abandon the elections was taken to protect the lives of party members.

Zanu-PF acting national spokesperson, Patrick Chinamasa confirmed the incident in Gweru while addressing a Press conference on Tuesday.

Chinamasa is leading a supervisory team overseeing the Zanu-PF DCC elections in the Midlands province.

“We have received some bad news to the effect that one of our senior party members, Cde Muchato Masvinu, who was the District Chairperson for Chirumanzu drowned after he was swept away as he tried to cross flooded Shashe River. Cde Masvinu wanted to cross the river to get to a polling station that was across to cast his vote during the DCC elections. It is on a sad note that we announce his passing on,” he said.

Chinamasa said Mrs Masvinu rushed to call other villagers who conducted a search which started on Sunday when Masvinu was swept away. They found his body on Monday afternoon downstream.

“Mrs Masvinu who was accompanying her husband to the polling station watched helplessly as he was being swept away. His body was recovered today around 12 midday following a search by fellow villagers,” he said.

Chinamasa said burial arrangements were underway.

“Our deepest condolences are with the Masvinu family and the whole province at large,” he said.